Measuring device



Oct. 12, 1943. P. E. CUTONE 2,331,659

MEASURING DEVICE Filed Aug. 22, 1941 Patented Oct. 12, 1943 UNITED STATES PATEN T f OFFICE MEASURING DEVICE, Philip E. Cutone, Hollidays cove,w. Va. Application August 22, 1941, Serial No. 407,989

4 Claims. (Cl. 221-147) This invention relates to closures and more particularly to an improved measuring device.

'One object of the invention is to provide a measuring device, by the use of which it will be possible to measure and dispense for consump tion a required close of medicine or other material so that the need of a spoon, measuring cup or the like will be made unnecessary.

Another object of the invention is to provide a measurin device which will fit conveniently in the neck of a bottle and provide a normal closure therefor and which, when tilted, will receive a portion of the contents of the bottle for discharge into the mouth, or a container, upon release of the latch employed.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character wherein instantaneously operable valves are employed, said valves being shiftable upon disengagement of the latch for permitting discharge of the predetermined amount of material from the device, one of said valves preventing flow of additional material into said device until both of said valves have been returned to their respective inoperative positions.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a measuring device which is simple inconstruction and which may be readily installed on or removed from the neck of a bottle.

Still further objects of the invention, not specifically mentioned hereinbefore, will appear as the description proceeds.

In the drawing forming a part of my application.

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of my improved measuring device as it would appear mounted on the neck of a bottle and in closed, inoperative position, and

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view show-' in the device as it would appear in the neck of a downwardly tilted bottle and howing, in full lines, said device in inoperative position with liquid therein, the valves and latch being shown, in dotted lines, as they would appear in operative position.

In the drawing similar reference numerals designate like parts in both of the views.

Referring now to the drawing in more detail, the numeral l indicates in general a bottle and 2 the neck thereof. The bottle I maybe of any suitable size and, in this connection, it is desired to state that the device forming the subjectmatter of my invention may be made in various sizes for use in measuring various predetermined amounts of material. .While my invention is particularly well adapted for use on bottles containing medicine, it is desired to emphasize that it may be used on bottles or containers containing other material, such as sugar, salt, and liquids other than medicines.

In carrying my inventionintoefiect, I employ a body 3,.which is formed of glass, Bakelite, or other suitable material. The body 3 is preferably cylindrical in shape and includes an outer wall 4 and an inner wall 5, said walls bein cut away throughout the major portions of their, areas to define, respectively, adischarge opening 6 and an inlet opening 1. As will be seen, the edges definin both of said openings are inclined outwardly to define valve seats 8 and 9. The body 3 is provided with a chamber H! which extends throughout its interior and is adapted to contain a predetermined dose or amount of liquid or other material flowing into the neck 2 of the bottle I.

Swingingly connected with the outer wall 4 and normally closing the opening 6 therein is an outer valve II which is substantially circular in. shape and is provided with a face I2 to cooper ate with the seat 9. The valve l.l isswingingly connected to the outerwall 4 bymeans'of a pin I 3 which extends throughcooperating ears |4.' Formed in the under surface of the outer valve. 1 I, substantially axially thereof, is a recess l5, and extending transversely of the recess is a pin l5, the'purposeior which will be explained in more detail hereinafter.

Hingedly connected with the inner wall 5, by means of a pin I1, is an inner valve l8, said valve, like the valve ll, being substantially circular in'shape. The valve I3 is formed with an inclined face I9 which, in closed position, cooperates with the face 8. The valve [8, however, is, as best seen in Figure 1, normally in open posi-' tion. Formed in the inner surface of the valve l8, axially thereof, is a reces's 2i], and extending transversely of the recess is a pin 2|. As will be observed, the recesses l5 and 20 are disposed in substantially axial alinement. j

Extending substantially axiallyof the chamber In and operatively connecting the valves II and I8 is a rod 22. The rod 22 terminatesatits upper end in an eye 23 which extends into the recess l5 and hingedly receives the pin l 6. Similarly, at

' its lower end, the rod terminates inan eye 24 which extends into the recess 20 and receives the pin 2| therethrough. As will be observed, the rod 2| is, of a greater length than the body 3 so that, when the, valve II is closed, the valve l8 will be held in open position. Similarly, when the valve I8 is closed, the valve II will be shifted to open position by the said rod 22.

The numeral 25 indicates in general the latch I employ for normally retaining the valve II in closed position. The latch 25 is of substantially inverted L shape and includes a relatively long leg 26, which is pivotally connected, at its midportion, with the body 3 by means of a yoke 21 and a pin 28, and a relatively short leg 29 which is normally positioned to project into overhang- Cir type and has one terminating leg 32 secured to r the inner surface of the chamber ill by clips 33. The other terminating leg of the spring 3i is indicated at 34 and is held to the under surface of the valve i I by a clip 35.

For mounting the device in the neck 2 of the bottle I and provide an effective seal, I employ a sleeve 36 which is formed of cork, fiber, rubber or other suitable material and has a tapered outer wall 31. As will be observed, the sleeve 38 extends throughout substantially the entir lower half of the length of the body and, as stated, provides an effective seal between the neck of the bottle and the body 3.

In use, it is first assumed that the bottle i is filled with medicine or other material to be dispensed. neck 2. When it is desired to discharge a predetermined amount of the material from the bottle, said predetermined amount being an amount suflicient to fill the chamber ill, the bottle is tilted to the position shown in Figure 2. Inasmuch as f the valve ii is normally in closed position, the valve I8 is, as previousyy explained, in open position, with the result that material will be permitted to flow into the interior of the chamber for filling the same. charge the contents of the chamber i0, either directly into the mouth or into a container, the lower end portion of the leg 28 is depressed for shifting the leg 29 away from the edge 01 the valve il. As soon as the leg 29 has been freed from the surface of the valve II, the spring Ii will instantaneously snap said valve ll open for permitting discharge of the contents of the chamber l0. As the valve ii is moved to open position by the spring 3 l, movement will be transmitted through the rod 22 to the valve it so that, when the valve ii is snapped open by the spring til, the valve is will be snapped shut for preventing entry of additional material to the interior of the chamber l0 while the valve l l is in open position. It will thus be seen that, inasmuch as no additional material will be admitted to the chamber after the valve H has been snapped open, only that material which was in the chamber before release of the latch will be discharged. 7

After discharge oi thematerialirom the chemher [0, the latch 25 is retracted and the valve ll is again moved to closed position. The latch is released for normally'retaining the valve l l in closed position against the tension of the spring 3|. Movement of the valve II to closed position will, of course, move the valve It to open position so that, when the bottle is again'tilted, the chamber will again be filled with a portion of the contents of the bottle. s

Attention is directed to the fact that my improved measuring device may be made in various sizes for handling predetermined dosages in various amounts.

Attention is further directed to the fact that The device is tightly mounted in the When it is desired to disof the latch 25 the rod 22 will, in addition to the function described, cooperate with the valves for preventing too great swinging movement of said valves away from their respective seats.

The device is simple in construction and, by its use, it will be possible to dispense with the usual spoon or other measuring device.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A measuring device including a body having a chamber and walls formed with openings, valves alternately closing the openings, one of said valves being movable from a closed position retaining material in the chamber to an open position discharging said material from said chamber, the other of said valves being movable simultaneously with the first-mentioned valve from an open position admitting material to the chamber to a closed position preventing entry of material to the chamber when said first-mentioned valve is in open position, a spring for urging the first-mentioned valve to open position, and releasable means engageable with said firstmentioned valve and normally retaining said first-mentioned valve in closed position.

2. A measuring device including a body having inner and outer walls and having a chamber, said inner and outer walls having openings forming valve seats, an outer valve hingedly mounted on the outer wall and having a valve face to cooperate with the valve seat in said outer wall, an inner valve hingedly mounted on the inner wall and having a valve face to cooperate with the valve seat on said inner wall, a rod operatively connecting the valves, resilient means for urging the outer valve to open position, and releasable means for normally retaining the outer valve in closed position, said outer valve snapping open upon release of the releasable means for permitting discharge of material within the chamber, said rod transmitting shifting movement to the inner valve for shifting said inner valve to closed position simultaneously with shifting of the outer valve to open position for preventing entry of additional material into the chamber until said outer valve is returned to closed position.

3. A device of the class described including a body formed with a chamber, means removably mounting the device in the neck of a bottle, a normally closed upper valve on the outer end oi. the body, a normally open lower valve on the inner end of the body, means operatively connecting the valves, said chamber receiving material to be discharged upon tilting of the bottle, means releasably retaining the first-mentioned valve closed, and means for instantaneously shifting the first-mentioned valve to open position upon release of said last-mentioned means for permitting discharge of the material from the chamber, said second-mentioned means simultaneously shifting said second-mentioned valve to closed position for preventing entry of material into the chamber until said first-mentioned valve has been returned to closed position.

4. A device of the class described as recited in claim 3, wherein the upper valve shifting means consists of a spring mounted in the chamber and operatively connected with the wall of the body and the upper valve.

PHILIP E. CUTONE. 

